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Vlad Vexler @vladvexler.bsky.social · 10h

youtu.be/coU9FC5AKs0?...

Will Americans Wake Up to Authoritarianism? | (Michael Ignatieff reading)

YouTube video by Vlad Vexler Chat

youtu.be

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 4h

Cat software running on dog hardware

philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 4h

I don't think those are strictly masculine value.

philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 7h

I guess I didn't understand this part from Vlad: "He estimates we won’t fully grasp the democratic decline that began in the early 2010s until the middle 2030s." I think the democratic decline really got started on October 26, 2001 with the passage of The Patriot Act.

philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 7h

And it's not even an economic threat if you... checks notes... welcome immigrants.

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 7h

And it's not a security threat. It's not even an economic threat if you... checks notes... welcome immigrants.

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 8h

And now for a little musical de-composition: www.youtube.com/watch?v=NbP2...

Mushroom in the Wild Playing Keyboard

YouTube video by BionicandtheWires

www.youtube.com

philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 13h

Buy stock in companies that make gold spray paint.

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 16h

Kind of like how he (and his acolyte JD Vance) seem to think that René Girard was advocating for scapegoating.

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Reyhan Harmanci @harmancipants.bsky.social · 18h

We wanted to know what it was like to own a Cybertruck. So @zoeschiffer.bsky.social went to the desert got this absolutely amazing quotes (and Michelle Groskopf took the pictures!) www.wired.com/story/owning...

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Chris Mirasola @chrismirasola.bsky.social · 1d

I can’t overstate how entirely untethered to the constitution and past practice this unilateral move to repurpose funds to pay for military pay is. The commander-in-chief clause has precisely 0 bearing on the ability to expend funds. Here’s a list of authorities that do:

National Security Presidential Memorandum/NSPM-8

MEMORANDUM FOR THE SECRETARY OF WAR THE DIRECTOR OF THE OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET SUBJECT: Use of

www.whitehouse.gov

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 16h

san.com/cc/exclusive...

Exclusive: Fake cellphone tower may have surveilled protesters at Portland ICE facility

Law enforcement officials may have deployed a secretive cellphone surveillance technology last weekend at Portland’s ICE facility.

san.com

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papaesoco.bsky.social @papaesoco.bsky.social · 2d

open.substack.com/pub/jojofrom...
There is something spectacularly stupid about watching a man in full tactical armor aim a sniper rifle at another man’s baloney pony. A rooftop Rambo sweating through forty pounds of gear, laser-locked on a moving target that happens to be democracy

No Kings, No Pants, No Problem

How Portland answered authoritarianism with bare asses and better ideas.

open.substack.com

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George Conway 🇺🇸🚫👑🐸 @gtconway.bsky.social · 3d

Authoritarianism is a cancer. And it's growing, metastasizing. In America. Now.

YOU are the cure. Do your part and join us on Saturday.

Do it for your country. For the Constitution. For your freedoms.

While you still can.

@ofthebraveusa.bsky.social

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The Tennessee Holler @thetnholler.bsky.social · 1d

“Kids”

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All In with Chris Hayes @allinwithchris.bsky.social · 1d

“This stuff doesn't just permeate the culture of conservatism at this moment. It is the culture, by and large. These are ‘JD Vance Republicans,’” says Chris Hayes on the leaked GOP text messages praising Hitler—and the vice president downplaying it.

'Kids telling edgy jokes’? Hayes SHREDS Vance’s defense of racist GOP group chat

YouTube video by MSNBC

www.youtube.com

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 1d

How about an IgNobel prize?

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 1d

Not going to help him win that peace prize.

Paul Eric Scannell @pauleric70.bsky.social · 1d

Trump is escalating the neocolonial US war on Venezuela:

Trump admitted he authorized the CIA to carry out covert attacks inside Venezuela.

The US military has killed dozens of Venezuelans in boats in extrajudicial executions. Trump said he is now considering attacks on "land".

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Rick Steves @ricksteves.bsky.social · 2d

🧵:

Last June, more than 5 million Americans joined #NoKings rallies across the country, protesting President Trump's authoritarianism. And this Saturday, with your help, it's going to be even bigger and better.

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 1d

And Nixon to LBJ. I'm noticing a pattern.

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Paul Eric Scannell @pauleric70.bsky.social · 1d

He actually blocked the peace deal for a year?! Insider information states that Benjamin Netanyahu refused Biden‘s deal until the change of administration! 🤬🤬🤬

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Aaron Reichlin-Melnick @reichlinmelnick.bsky.social · 1d

Again, it is a full-blown federal felony crime for anyone in the White House or Executive Office of the President to order tax investigations into anyone.

And it's not just a crime to DO it, it's even a federal crime for an employee not to REPORT such an order to the Treasury Inspector General.

26 U.S. Code § 7217 - Prohibition on executive branch influence over taxpayer audits and other investigations
U.S. Code
Notes
prev | next
(a)Prohibition
It shall be unlawful for any applicable person to request, directly or indirectly, any officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service to conduct or terminate an audit or other investigation of any particular taxpayer with respect to the tax liability of such taxpayer.

(b)Reporting requirement
Any officer or employee of the Internal Revenue Service receiving any request prohibited by subsection (a) shall report the receipt of such request to the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

(c)Exceptions
Subsection (a) shall not apply to any written request made—
(1)to an applicable person by or on behalf of the taxpayer and forwarded by such applicable person to the Internal Revenue Service;
(2)by an applicable person for disclosure of return or return information under section 6103 if such request is made in accordance with the requirements of such section; or
(3)by the Secretary of the Treasury as a consequence of the implementation of a change in tax policy.
(d)Penalty
Any person who willfully violates subsection (a) or fails to report under subsection (b) shall be punished upon conviction by a fine in any amount not exceeding $5,000, or imprisonment of not more than 5 years, or both, together with the costs of prosecution.

(e)Applicable person
For purposes of this section, the term “applicable person” means—
(1)the President, the Vice President, any employee of the executive office of the President, and any employee of the executive office of the Vice President; and
(2)any individual (other than the Attorney General of the United States) serving in a position specified in section 5312 of title 5, United States Code.

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 1d

And in Hillsboro, Oregon this morning as well: bsky.app/profile/phil...

philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 1d

Brave people in Hillsboro, Oregon confronting ICE.

hillsboroherald.com/ice-shows-up...

ICE Shows Up In Hillsboro And Is Confronted By Locals Who Take Action- VIDEO POSTED HERE

The Real Story - A Column At 9:30 AM this morning in Hillsboro, Oregon, some ICE Officers were identified as

hillsboroherald.com

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 1d

Brave people in Hillsboro, Oregon confronting ICE.

hillsboroherald.com/ice-shows-up...

ICE Shows Up In Hillsboro And Is Confronted By Locals Who Take Action- VIDEO POSTED HERE

The Real Story - A Column At 9:30 AM this morning in Hillsboro, Oregon, some ICE Officers were identified as

hillsboroherald.com

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philtor @philtor.bsky.social · 2d

Wait, they remade Amadeus? Why?